Michigan Works! Southwest’s Workforce Development Board Receives Board of Excellence Award
SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN – On Tuesday, September 10, Michigan Works! Southwest’s Workforce Development Board received the 2024 Board of Excellence Award at the Annual Michigan Works! Conference. The Board of Excellence Award is awarded to one Michigan Works! board each year that exemplifies workforce development efforts in support of state initiatives.
To achieve success and positive outcomes in the four counties Michigan Works! Southwest serves, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph Counties, the Michigan Works! Southwest Workforce Development Board strategically focuses on innovation, integration of services, outreach, and lasting impact. The Board has a proven commitment to excellence and to the success of each employer and job seeker in the communities served as reflected through members’ proactive engagement in workforce development.
“The key to the Workforce Development Board’s success is a continuous improvement mindset,” said Board Chair, Jacquelyn Murray, Director of Human Resources for Marshall Excelsior Company, “The Michigan Works! Southwest staff make that easy for us. The leadership of Jakki Bungart-Bibb sets the tone of the culture being created. The partnership between staff leaders and the board strengthens the foundation of an environment of innovation, never settling for status quo, and striving for transformational change. Not only is that our foundation; it is also our driving force.”
With a combined total of nearly 215 years of service, Board members are engaged throughout the local board structure through their participation on multiple committees, and, in addition to serving on the Workforce Development Board, many Board members are active in their local communities, leveraging the work of the Board and investing their time on workforce and economic development initiatives.
Supporting the group’s continuous improvement mindset, sharing successes and best practices, legislative advocacy, and local, state, and national presentations are priorities of the Board. Board initiatives include driving the critical work of the Employer-Led Collaboratives for Advanced Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Information Technology; Career and Technical Education advisories; and other committees formed to address specific barriers to employment. Private sector members often serve as champion employers for grant applications, apprenticeships, and other special initiatives. The Board also believes in recognizing the outstanding work of front-line staff and has established a monthly Shining Star Award for this purpose.
The Workforce Development Board recognizes that successful workforce development strategies include more than just employment, and, in alignment, actively support special initiatives and pilot programs including Neighborhood Employment HUBs, Job Quality Academy, and apprenticeship expansion. The Michigan Works! Southwest Workforce Development Board also leverages the services of the Employer Resource Network® and Pulse childcare initiatives to support the local workforce and employers with retention strategies. Additionally, members support youth career exploration through multiple MiCareerQuest™ events annually.
“Having served as the staff liaison for the MW! Southwest Workforce Development Board for over 30 years, I can attest to the fact that our members are highly committed, dedicated and heavily invested in workforce development,” said Kathy Olsen, Quality Assurance/Project Coordinator for Michigan Works! Southwest. “With the Board’s unwavering support, Michigan Works! Southwest strives to prepare, transform, and empower the workforce in Southwest Michigan.”
For more information about the services the Michigan Works! Southwest provides visit www.michiganworkssouthwest.org
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About Michigan Works! Southwest (MWSW)
Michigan Works! Southwest serves the four-county area of Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties and is operated through the research-driven and longstanding pillar of workforce development, the W.E. Upjohn Institute. Michigan Works! Southwest strives to build connections between job seekers looking to grow their careers and employers seeking quality candidates with the necessary job skills. Michigan Works! Southwest stays abreast of employment trends and maintains critical relationships with community partners to ensure connections are made between employers, educators, trainers, and employees.
